Water gauge



June 1, 1937; A.-LA R. PARKER WATER GAUGE Filed Dec. '50, 1935 2Sheets-Sheet '1 .11] Ill 59 June 1, 1937. A. LA PARKE? WATER GAUGE FiledDec.,50. 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 1, 1937 I l STATES Aren'tFFICE 2,082,716 WATER GAUGE Arthur La Rue Parker, Gleveland, OhioApplication December 30, 1935, Serial No. 56,788 6 Claims. ((11. 73-54)The present invention relates to new and useful Referring more in detailto the accompanying improvements in water gauges and more 1181-drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, ticularlv w r gauge whch is provi ed wi the protector casing in is formed in a single aPTOtBCtOI Casing ro gh W h t e u t b casting and includes a centralchamber H, a

isvisible and which is 0f the type primarily lamp chamber [2 and a,discharge chamber l3. 5 adapted for use in indicating the height ofwater The front walls of the central chamber ll, in a locomotive boiler.through which the gauge tube I4 extends, are

An object of the invention is to provide a disposed obliquely to oneanother and are prowater gauge of the above type wherein the providedwith longitudinal openings which are closed tector casing containing thegauge tube is conby relatively heavy glass plates l5, through which 10te t the Valve housing and a ght seal the gauge tube It is visible. Theglass tube l4 produced therebetween without any turning extendslongitudinally through the chamber H movement of the protector casingrelative to the and into a recess It in a coupling member I! valvehousing so that the protector casing and which threadedly engages a neckportion 88 on the valve housing may have a predetermined set theprotector casing i0 directly above the cham- 15 position relative to theboiler. her I I. A pipe I!) connected to the upper portion A furtherobject'of the invention is to provide of the boiler (not shown) issecured to the coua water gauge of the above type wherein the plingmember H by means of a packing nut 20. protector casing is'mounted onthe valve housing The upper end of the neck portion I8 is proin a mannerwhich eliminates any threaded convideol with an internal annular recess2| in which 2 nection therebetween. is fitted a gasket 22 surroundingthe gauge tube A further object of the invention is 'to provide it. Agasket follower 23 abuts against shoulders novel means for effecting atight seal between on the coupling member l1 and compresses the theprotector casing and the valve housing withgasket 22 when the couplingmember is screwed out imposing any stress on the gauge tube. on the neckportion 18 so as to afiord a tight 5 A further object of the inventionis to provide seal. The protector casing It is provided with a one-pieceprotector casing having a chamber a depending sleeve portion 24 directlybeneath for the gauge tube, a separate discharge 'chamthe chamber H and.in line with the neck portion ber communicating therewith, and aseparate l8. vThe gauge tube 14 extends through the ,30 lamp chamberalso communicating therewith for chamber H and between and spaced fromthe illuminating the gauge tube. walls of the sleeve portion 24.Surrounding the The invention still further eirns to n ov e gauge tubel4 withinthe sleeve portion 24 is a W te gauge of the above yp which 18Simple 1n gasket 25 which is compressed by a gasket folconstruction,inexpensive tomanufacture, and eflower 25 which abuts against Shoulderson an ficlent in upstanding neck portion 21 on the housing 28 for 35 Theabove and other ob ects of the invention the valve mechanism. will inpart be obvious and will be hereinafter The lamp chamber '2 is open atthe upper end ai i g g gif g gf thereof and is adapted to be closed by acap Fig. l is a side elevation in section showing 2 5;222;:figz fi ifgggi gr 322: 3230: 3-

the manner in which the protector casing, the gauge tube, and the valvehousing are connected. rIihreadedly n f the 29 a Connecting Fig. 2 is atop plan view of the water gauge mpple which 15 l f m 13051111011 by a06k:

. with the protector casing shown in section ing nut 32 andsubstantially closed by a connector Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sideelevation partly n11? Alamp Socket 3415 Supported W thin the 45 insection showing the lamp chamber and procap 29 and the wire 35 extendsthrough the nipple tector casing. 3| and then opening in the connectornut 33. Fig. 4 is a top plan view in section showing A lamp bulb 36 iscarried by the socket 34 and the valve mechanism. is disposed within thechamber I2. The wall Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation showing theseparating the lamp chamber l2 from the cham- 50 means for securing theprotector casing to the her H is provided with two slots 31, 38, seeFigs. v l e housing, 2 and 3. The slot 31 directs light from the bulbFig.6 is a similar view in perspective. 36 across the front of the gaugetube I4 and the Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line slot 38directs light from the bulb across the 1-1 of Fig. 6. 1 back of thegauge tube It so that it is visible 55 75 45 enters the chamber 45.

through the glass plates l in the front walls of the chamber H.

The discharge chamber l3 communicates with the chamber H and is providedwith an outlet 5 portion which is connected to a discharge pipe 39. Thepurpose of this discharge chamber and pipe connection 39 is to permitbroken glass, steam and hot water to be discharged away from the firemenin the event that the gauge tube It is broken during operation.

It is necessary to have the protector casing It in a fixed position sothat the gauge tube i4 is always visible through the glass plates i 5.When a threaded connection is employed between the valve housing 28 andthe casing it, it is impossible to always have the casing H! in theproper position when it is screwed down to compress the gasket and toaiiord a tight seal. In other words, when it is necessary to turn theprotector 20 casing relative to the valve housing to-compress thegasket, there is no assurance that when a tight seal is effected, theglass plates l5 on the casing in will be in the proper position for thegauge tube It to be seen therethrough. Fur- F thermore, the tighteningof the casing Hi on the valve housing in this manner often results inthe breaking of the gauge tubeid. According to the present invention,there is no threaded connection employed between the casing so and thevalve housing 25. Referring to Figs. 5 and6, ayoke having spaced arms Mdisposed on the outside of the valve housing 28 is connected to thesleeve portion 24 of the protector casing Ill. The arms H are providedwith projecting lugs 42 which engage hooks 43 on the casing iii.

A clamping screw 44 extends through the horizontal portion of the yokefill and, when tightened, will engage the under side of the valvehousing 28. Further turning of the screw M will produce a relativemovement of the protector casing and the valve housing 28 toward oneanother, thus causing the neck portion 21 on the valve housing to engageand compress the gasket 25. The valve housing has a tapered portionsurrounding the neck portion 27 and the inner end of the sleeve 24 issimilarly shaped. The

gasket is so dimensioned that the neck portion 27 will firmly compressthe same and produce a tight seal between the gasket and the gauge tubeit before the tapered sections come into contact.

The arms 48 of the yoke Ml are restrained against turning movement bythe sides 01 the valve housing 28 so that the positioning of the lugs 42in the hooks 43 on the casing it will properly set the protector casingill in its predetermined position. In this manner the casing It can beclamped tightly in this position with the gauge tube M visible throughthe glass plates or windows'l5 to afiord a sealing at the gasket 25withhousing or to the boiler.

The valve housing. 28 is provided with a central chamber 45 whichcommunicates with a port 46. The housing 28 is threadedly connected to acoupling member 41 which extends into the 10- comotive boiler (notshown). Detachably secured to the valve housing 28 is a member 48 whichis j adapted to support a valve stem 49.- The valve stem 49 extendsthrough the member 88 and is threadedly connected thereto. Threaded onthe outer end of the supporting member 48 is a nut 50 of the usual-typefor compressing a sealing gasket 5i surrounding the valve stem 49. Avalve seat 52 is positioned at the point'where the port The valve steml9 carout any turning of the casing relative to the valve ries a valvemember 53 which is adapted to control the passage of water from theboiler through the valve seat 52 to the gauge tube 84. The valve stemalso carries a secondary valve member '55 which, when the valve 53 iscompletely opened, will engage a valve seat 55 on the member 58 toprevent any leakage around the valve stem.

The valve housing 28 is provided with an integral angular extension 55.A supporting member 57 threadedly engages the extension 56 and isadapted to support a valve stem 58. The valve stem 58 extends throughthe member 51 and threadedly engages a valve member 6 3 which isrestrained against turning movement within the supporting member 51.Splined on the outer end of the member 51 is a nut 59 for compressing asealing gasket 60 around the valve stem 58. The extension 56 is providedwith a port 6| communicating with the central chamber 55 in the valvehousing 28. The port 6| terminates in a valve seat 62 with which thevalve member 64 cooperates. The extension 55 is provided with a drainingopening 53. Turning 01 the valve stem 58 will efiect, through itsthreaded engagement with the valve member 64, a relative movement of thesaid valve member toward and away from the valve seat 62 to control thepassage from the port M to the opening 63. -Between shoulders on member5'! and stem 58 is a gasket 66.

When the valve 53 is opened, water from the boiler will pass through thechamber 65 in the valve housing and up into the gauge tube M so that theheight of water in the boiler may be determined by looking through theglass plates I5 in the casing I 0. The gauge tube M is illuminated bythe lamp 34 in the lamp chamber l2. If for any reason,- such as thebreaking of the gauge tube It, it is desired to cut off the supply ofwater from the boiler, the valve 53 may be closed. The valve 64 is ofcourse kept closed at all times to prevent leakage through the opening63 during operation of the device. When, however, it is necessary ordesirable to drain water remaining in the gauge tube Hi when the valve53 is closed, the valve 65 may be opened to permit the water to drainout through the opening 63.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction andarrangement of parts may be made without departing from the scope of theinvention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A water gauge for boilers comprising a valve housing adapted to beconnected to the boiler in a fixed position relative thereto, anenclosed casing adapted to be connected .to said housing in apredetermined set position for observation, said casing having a chamberprovided with a window, a gauge'tube located in said chamber and visiblethrough said window, sealing means disposed between said casing and saidhousing, hook means on said casing, a yoke extending under said housingand having the arms thereof en-.

gaging with said hook means, and means carried by said yoke andengageable with said housing in axial alignment with said gauge tube forcausing a relative movement between said housing and said casing foreffecting a tight seal therebetween while maintaining said casing in thepredetermined set position for observation.

2. A water gauge for boilers comprising a valve housing adapted to beconnected to the boiler in a fixed positionrelative thereto, an enclosedone-piece casing adapted to be connected to said housing in apredetermined set position for observation, said casing having a.chamber 'in which the gauge tube is located, said chamber having a pairof windows obliquely disposed with respect to one another andsubstantially meeting at the front of said chamber, said casing having alamp chamber disposed in rear of the gauge tube chamber, the wallbetween said lamp oham her and the gauge tube chamber having a pair ofslots therethrough, one of said slots adapted to direct light in frontof the gauge tube and the other of said slots adapted to direct light inrear of the gauge tube, sealing means disposed between said casing andsaid housing, and means for causing-a relative movement between saidcasing and said housing for efiecting'a tight seal therebetween whilemaintaining said casing in the predetermined set position forobservation.

3. A water gauge for boilers comprising a valve housing adapted to beconnected to the boiler, an enclosed one-piece casing connected to saidhousing, said casing having a chamber provided with a pair of windowsobliquely disposed with respect to one another and substantially meetingat the front of said chamber, a gauge tube extending through saidchamber and visible through the windows therein, a lamp chamber formedas an integral part of said casing and disposed in rear of and at oneside of the gauge tube chamber, the wall between said lamp chamber andthe gauge tube chamber having a pair of slots therethrough, one of saidslots adapted to direct light in front of said gauge tube and the otherof said slots adapted to direct light in rear of said gauge tube wherebyto illuminate the gauge tube and render it visible through said windows.

4. A water gauge for boilers comprising a valve housing adapted to beconnected to the boiler in a fixed position relative thereto, anenclosed casing adapted to be connected to said valve housingin apredetermined set position for observation, said casing having a chamberprovided with a window, a gauge tube located in said chamber and visiblethrough said window, sealing means disposed between said casing and saidhousing, and means connected to-said casing directly above said valvehousing and engageable with the opposite side of said valve housing inaxial alignment with said gauge tube for causing relative movementbetween said valve housing and said casing to effect a tight sealwithout causing relative rotation therebetween;

5. A water gauge, as claimed in claim 4, wherein the sealing meansincludes a neck portion on the valve housing adapted to receive one endof the gauge tube, an integral sleeve on said casing surrounding saidgauge tube and said neck portion on the valve housing, and a gasketdisposed chamber provided with a window, a gauge tube located in saidchamber and visible through said window, sealing means disposed betweensaid casing and said valve housing, a yoke having the arms thereofconnected to said casing directly above said valve housing, said angularextensions on said valve housing being disposed at one side of the axialline of said gauge tube, and screw means carried by said yoke andengageable with the opposite side of said valve housing in axialalignment with said gauge tube for causing relative-movement betweensaid valve housing and said casing to effect a tight seal withoutcausing relative rotation therebetween.

ARTHUR LA RUE PARKER.

